John Tillotson is one of the forgotten titans of Anglican church history. He was the Archbishop of Canterbury in the late 17th century, and his sermons were popular and influential for many years after his death. He lived in an era when Anglicanism was grappling with the intellectual challenges of the Enlightenment, and Tillotson embodies the spirit of the age. He was a Bible believing Christian whose sermons were intellectually rigorous, tightly argued, and carefully purged of excessive spirituality or emotion. His preaching was reasonable and respectable. Here is an example -
So here in the text, the apostle upon the same consideration exhorts Christians to retain, or hold fast, [greek phrase], "the confession, or profession of their hope;" that is, the hope of the resurrection of the dead, and everlasting life, which was the conclusion of that faith or creed, whereof in baptism they made a solemn profession. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith or hope, without wavering;" the word is [greek], inflexible, unmoveable, steady, and not apt to waver and be shaken by every wind of contrary doctrine, nor by the blasts and storms of persecution."”"For he is faithful that hath promised." If we continue faithful and steady to God, he will be "faithful," to make good all the promises he hath made to us.
The evangelical revival of the early 18th century rejected this sort of preaching. Whitefield described Tillotson’s sermons as "husks, fit only for carnal, unawakened, unbelieving Reasoners to eat." By contrast, evangelical preaching was full of fire and passion and drama, so much so that they were mockingly called “enthusiasts” by their critics. The evangelicals did not care about being respectable or appearing reasonable - in fact, they expected to be mocked and despised. What they did care about was winning souls, and this concern is writ large in their preaching. Consider the following from Whitefield -
Though we are in a field, I am persuaded the blessed angels are hovering now around us, and do long…to sing an anthem at your conversion. Blessed be God, I hope their joy will be fulfilled. An awful silence appears amongst us. I have good hope that the words which the Lord has enabled me to speak in your ears this day, have not altogether fallen to the ground… I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not, if one soul of you, by the blessing of God, be brought to think savingly of Jesus Christ this day, I care not if my enemies were permitted to carry me to prison, and put my feet fast in the stocks, as soon as I have delivered this sermon. Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God is that you may be saved. For this cause I follow my Master without the camp. I care not how much of his sacred reproach I bear, so that some of you be converted from the errors of your ways…
As I compare these quotes, I can’t help but wonder - are our preachers more like Tillotson or Whitefield? And if the former - can we really be considered proper heirs to the evangelical tradition?
